In addition to conducting its own environmental preservation measures, Murata believes that it has a corporate responsibility to communicate the importance of global environmental protection to society as a whole.
Since fiscal 2005, we have conducted programs at elementary and junior high schools in the neighborhoods of our factories and hosted presentations and other events for children to actively promote environmental education.
Environmental representatives from the Company's staff introduce current issues and Murata's activities on the themes of the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) and global warming.
These highly popular events are delivered in the form of a quiz, to encourage children to enjoy themselves while deepening understanding of the importance of a recycling-based society and global warming prevention. In fiscal 2006, the second year of this program, we expanded the agenda four-fold in terms of numbers of events and participants.
“Children's Science” provides easily understandable explanations of MURATA BOY's advanced technologies in a series of books for children.
During fiscal 2006, we commenced natural science lessons with the objective of communicating the fun side of science to children.
These events feature the MURATA BOY robot, whose popularity with kids is spurred by appearances in television commercials. Children experience MURATA BOY close up, as he furiously peddles a bicycle, while exploring the mysteries and surprises of natural science. At the same time, the various uses in society of Murata's leading-edge technologies, such as the sensors and communications modules mounted in MURATA BOY, are introduced in an easily palatable fashion.
In the six months following their instigation in October 2006, such natural science classes were held 11 times in the neighborhoods of Murata's factories and subsidiaries. MURATA BOY has also been recruited to collaborate in environmental lessons. In the future, we plan to expand our range of electronics educational materials and programs.
Against the background of claims that today's youngsters are drifting away from natural sciences, Murata aims to continue to draw the attention of today's children, who carry the Earth's future, back to the environment and to science.
Keiko Hosomi
Environmental Management Section,
Environmental Management Department |
If even one of the children attending Murata's environmental learning programs takes environmental problems on board, he or she has a starting point for environmental conservation activities either at home or at school.
Moreover, this environmental learning provides opportunities for someone like myself, with almost no contact with children, to experience their flexible creativity and limitless energy and to find time, so rarely afforded in daily work, to enjoy being with kids.
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